60 games in already? Wow! The season is flying by. Hopefully, you could snag a few of the players mentioned last week, as they made me look good with solid production. If not, there’s no reason to panic as there are once again a host of new contributors waiting to be rostered.
With so many players going down with an injury, numerous players have stepped up admirably. Starting pitching has been tough to come by, but thankfully there are still a few gems left. And on the offensive side, more than a few dynamic bats are available.
Let’s get right to it. These 13 players are all rostered in 50 percent or less of Yahoo leagues and can help you in at least one major category. Many of these players will help you in more ways than one, with their primary contributions in the category under which they are listed.
Batting Average
Oscar Gonzalez (OF – CLE): 7%
I briefly mentioned Gonzalez a few weeks ago, pointing at his success in the Minor Leagues and his four-for-eight start in the Show. Gonzalez piqued my interest after hitting 32 home runs last year in the upper Minors and producing a .330 average in Double-A. He raked again to begin this season, and given the Guardian’s glaring weakness in the outfield, you knew it was only a matter of time until he was given a chance. After spending seven years in Cleveland’s farm system, Gonzalez was finally called-up and has been gold ever since.
60 games in already? Wow! The season is flying by. Hopefully, you could snag a few of the players mentioned last week, as they made me look good with solid production. If not, there’s no reason to panic as there are once again a host of new contributors waiting to be rostered.
With so many players going down with an injury, numerous players have stepped up admirably. Starting pitching has been tough to come by, but thankfully there are still a few gems left. And on the offensive side, more than a few dynamic bats are available.
Let’s get right to it. These 13 players are all rostered in 50 percent or less of Yahoo leagues and can help you in at least one major category. Many of these players will help you in more ways than one, with their primary contributions in the category under which they are listed.
Batting Average
Oscar Gonzalez (OF – CLE): 7%
I briefly mentioned Gonzalez a few weeks ago, pointing at his success in the Minor Leagues and his four-for-eight start in the Show. Gonzalez piqued my interest after hitting 32 home runs last year in the upper Minors and producing a .330 average in Double-A. He raked again to begin this season, and given the Guardian’s glaring weakness in the outfield, you knew it was only a matter of time until he was given a chance. After spending seven years in Cleveland’s farm system, Gonzalez was finally called-up and has been gold ever since.
Generating a great deal of power with little effort, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound rookie is already drawing comparisons to Albert Belle. He keeps a level swing throughout the zone while generating enough back spin to carry the ball over the outfielder’s heads. By not selling out, he has already accumulated an eye-popping 25 hits over just 60 at-bats (.417 BA). He’s only gone one game without a hit and has already put together eight multi-hit outings.
By not trying to hit the ball out of the park with every swing, the talented Dominican has consistently punished every type of offering thrown his way. I’ve been a fan of Gonzalez’s since witnessing his two mammoth home runs against the Iron Pigs (Phillies Triple-A squad) and leading the Minor Leagues in OPS. I tried to add him as an NA in one of my Yahoo Leagues before Yahoo even added him to the player’s list. He just looked and felt like a future fantasy star.
Gonzalez is a steal in deeper leagues and deserves attention in shallower ones. He’s still widely available because he’s relatively unknown and hasn’t hit a home run yet, but make no mistake, the power will come. He can be had at a discount, but it won’t last long.
RBI
Jake Burger (3B – CHW): 7%
Give me all the burgers everywhere! I added this beast after he took Tony Gonsolin deep (only the fourth man to do so all year) in Wednesday’s game against the Dodgers.
Burger has become the White Sox 2022-version of Gavin Sheets. A former first-rounder, Burger has already racked up eight homers and 22 RBIs in just 36 games. The Chicago third baseman has been ferocious at the plate with regular playing time. Over the last week, Burger has ripped four home runs while driving in nine, and he’s also racked up an impressive 12 hits during that stretch.
When you see Burger play, he just looks like a guy you want on your fantasy team. He crushes baseballs, and his Statcast profile backs it up. Now, pick up the mashing third baseman to boost your power and RBI totals.
Home Runs
Nathaniel Lowe (1B – TEX): 23%
Lowe had a stern talking to by manager Chris Woodward a few weeks back, discussing that if he wanted to stay in the starting lineup, he would need to start performing. Well, after that discussion and a day off, Lowe has been on fire.
Since June 1, Lowe has produced six multi-hit games, including four with home runs and an OPS well over 1.000. He hit the ground running to start the season, and after a dismal May, he looks to be back on track. The Rangers’ lineup has come alive this month, and Lowe’s bat has been a big reason. Add the 26-year-old first baseman now to boost your power numbers.
Runs
Jack Suwinski (OF – PIT): 7%
Suwinski’s been hitting bombs as well, but since he’s racked up so many runs lately, we’ll put him under this category. With the Pirates finally turning to their youth, the Pittsburgh ball club is starting to score some runs. Suwinski’s been regularly starting, and over his last eight games, the Pirates outfielder has scored seven times while collecting 12 hits, three homers, and five RBIs. He may not overwhelm in the runs scoring department, but he’s been hot lately and does have some decent matches coming up.
Santiago Espinal (2B, 3B – TOR): 50%
If the thought of having an unheralded Pirates rookie on your squad keeps you up at night, then add Espinal if he’s still available. The Blue Jays’ young third baseman has become a worthy starter in fantasy leagues and real life. He contributes across the board with his bat and glove and has already turned in an average of near .300. Espinal hits all over the Jays’ lineup, and with so much firepower around him, scoring runs shouldn’t be a problem. He qualifies for two of the most challenging positions to fill and should be rostered in nearly all leagues.
Stolen Bases
Jon Berti (2B, 3B, OF – MIA): 10%
Berti has been a blur on the base paths. He’s running and scoring so often that he moved into the leadoff spot on Saturday. With six steals this month alone, the Marlins utility man is pretty much a no-brainer if your team is lacking speed. He’s still available in 9 out of 10 leagues and should probably be your top target going into the week if steals is what you are lacking.
ERA
Dakota Hudson (SP – STL): 31% (up 17% in the last day!)
Hudson isn’t flashy with his low-90 sinker and doesn’t total a lot of strikeouts, but the ground-ball specialist does a great job of keeping the ball in the yard while limiting extra-base hits. His HR/9 sits at a low 0.61, while his line drive rate hovers around 15%. Hudson’s analytics point to a bit of luck regarding his 2.76 ERA, but underlying metrics aside, there’s no denying the career 3.06 ERA the 6-foot-5 righty has maintained over his 308.1 innings.
Although Hudson hasn’t pitched much over the last few seasons, his ERA hasn’t touched 2.80 since 2019. You probably won’t read this in time to snag him for Sunday’s start against the Reds, but if he does well, he is someone to seriously consider if your ERA is higher than most.
WHIP
Tyler Wells (SP, RP – BAL): 7%
Wells is on an innings limit, but the results have been impressive when he’s out there. Flying heavily under the radar while pitching for Baltimore, the 6-foot-8 reliever-turned-starter has turned in a 1.08 WHIP over 12 starts.
Wells was extremely impressive out of the bullpen last season, leading some to believe he was the future closer in Baltimore. Wells drew some fantasy buzz after being announced as a starter during Spring Training. After a couple of bad starts to begin the year, however, he became an afterthought in fantasy circles.
Since then, for those not ready to cast off the towering the 27-year-old, Wells has quietly rewarded his manager’s faith. Over his last nine starts, Wells has allowed just 17 runs and 43 base runners – good for a 3.35 ERA and 0.941 WHIP. His changeup has been remarkable, while his slider generates plenty of whiffs.
He’s got a tough one on tap against the Blue Jays coming up, but considering he handled the Yankees three times this season and shut down the Red Sox, I’m willing to roll the dice on Wells against Toronto in deeper leagues. Add Baltimore’s best starter in deeper leagues to help lower your WHIP.
Strikeouts
Spencer Strider (SP, RP – ATL): 44%
As much as I want to put Stephen Strasburg here because I believe he will figure it out, I’m going with the Braves’ shiny new toy instead. Strider was nasty in his last start, striking out eight over five and two-thirds innings. It was against the Pirates, but he did well in Colorado last week, too, so the production could be legitimate. He also strikeout nearly 40% of the batters he faced in the Minors (mostly Single and Double-A). All-in-all, Strider has already registered 57 punchouts in just 38.1 Major League innings. His ERA is a low 2.35, and his WHIP is equally impressive at 1.12. He’s scheduled to take on Washington this week and should be started in most leagues.
Wins
Zach Eflin (SP – PHI): 25%
The Phillies are winning games! Eflin isn’t the sexiest name out there, but with all the run support while pitching deep into games, Eflin should start earning more victories before long, especially at home. The colossal lefty has been nearly perfect in Philly, allowing just four runs over five starts (31 innings). The Mets have destroyed him both times they faced off but if you eliminate those two games in Queens, Eflin’s ERA for the year stands at 2.36. He is scheduled to take on Miami at home next and is a great candidate to win.
Saves
Tanner Houck (SP, RP – BOS): 45%
With so many teams going with a committee approach, there are a few options you could choose from. But I’d probably go with Houck if I had to pick one to boost saves. It seems as though Alex Cora has finally seen the light, and if he refuses to use Houck as a starter, then he’s probably their strongest choice to close.
Houck hasn’t given up a run in nearly a month and has cut down his free passes since being utilized in shorter outings. The Red Sox don’t have a better option, and after shutting the door in a one-run game on Friday, logic says he should be back in that position again before long.
Paul Sewald (RP – SEA): 39%
Sewald is also a strong option. He was amazing last year and has been the most reliable option out of the Seattle pen. The Mariners will continue to use a committee approach, but even without the high strikeout numbers, Sewald is a reasonably safe option, and he’s available in most leagues.
Jason Adam (RP – TB): 27%
And it wouldn’t be right not to mention a Rays’ reliever after Andrew Kittredge was lost for the season. Last week I mentioned Colin Poche as a potential closer for Tampa, but I have to add Jason Adam’s name to the mix this week. While Poche has held opponents off the scoreboard, he hasn’t been as dominant as Adam has. Adam not only strikes out more hitters but has been one of the most impressive relievers in all of baseball. Hitters bat around .100 against him while swinging and missing 17% of the time.
It’s still early in the season, and he doesn’t have much of a track record, but Adam has been absolutely incredible so far. Even if he’s not closing, his other numbers are extremely beneficial.
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Austin Lowell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Austin, check out his archive.
